Techno-economic aspects of Alternative Metallic Charges in EAF Steelmaking

Abstract

Electrical arc furnace steelmaking originated with the work of Sir Williams Siemens who in 1878 constructed, operated and patented furnaces operating on both the direct arc and indirect arc principles. The development of the electric melting furnace, however, had to await the expansion of the electric power industry and improvement in carbon electrodes. The use of electric arc furnace for steel making was perhaps first adopted in the laterpart of the 19th and beginningof the 20th century. Major commercial applications of the process began with the production of low alloy steels and subsequently high alloy and special steels. With the developments that have taken place over the years in EAF technology, ladle metallurgical and continuous casting, EAF plants are now entering into new areas, hitherto considered as exclusive domain of conventional large integrated steelmakers. Today Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking accounts forover 30 per cent of the crude steel production in developed countries like USA, Japan and nearly 100 percent in the oil/gas rich countries of the Gulf region and the Middle East.